


summer

by fullsuun



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, Slow Burn, Summer, Summer Love, Summer Romance, Summer Vacation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:35:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26194243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fullsuun/pseuds/fullsuun
Summary: kenma hates summer but learns to love it the day his new neighbor moves in
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> from my wattpad account hyuckie17
> 
> i used the occidental school system as a reference so it would be easier for me

summer. summer everywhere. the heat suffusing. how it made time slow down. the way the heavy air hung close. the singing of the cicadas in the early afternoon. it reeked summer even inside kenma's bedroom. he had left his window open all day, word of his mother and now he could even scent the sweet odor of the peaches growing on the trees in the orchard in one of the fields behind his house. peaches were his favorite fruit but the scent in his room was so overwhelming it almost made him sick.

kenma laid star-fished on his bed so his limbs wouldn't touch each other, in an attempt of fleeing heat. he had switched the fan on and placed it so the air would go right on his body. he stared at the ceiling because he couldn't do anything. couldn't move, otherwise, he would feel hot again. all he wanted was for the day to slip away and for it to be replaced by the freshness of summer nights. well, he didn't know which was better since he didn't sleep a lot. no matter how long he left his window open and how long he left his fan on, crumbs of the heated hair of the day remained. but it was still better than nothing.

he felt gross because his t-shirt and shorts were beginning to stick to his skin, even though he had taken a shower not even half an hour prior. even the hair he had just washed was beginning to dry and stick to his forehead again. now all he craved for was taking another one and just after taking it, he would ask for another. even the fan didn't help in cooling the room, it only took the peach-scented-air in its wings and threw it back over and over only resulting in making the scent more present.

kenma was so bored he had even begun to count how many birds had flown near his open window. one, two, five, ten. a bee or a wasp. another bird. his orange juice had turned warm. the voice of his little sister outside. another bird. the sound of the wheels of a bicycle adhering on the rock-path next to his very own house. another bee. the sound the springs of his bed made when he moved an inch. a car stopping near his house. a car? kenma remembered overhearing his parents talking about the new neighbors. they were supposed to move in the house right next to his family's own this week yet he didn't expect them to come so soon. only, it was already wednesday and kenma didn't even notice how three days had already fled by. another summer was about to fly by.

it was hard to imagine, for someone who witnesses cold winters to hate summer, but kenma did. kenma hated summer. hated the heat. hated everything which turned around summer. in spite of having all the time he wanted, it was also when kenma did the least things. because during the rest of the year his mind is overwhelmed by school and the stress created by it, once summer breaks in, all he ever wants to do is sleep all his days away all the while waiting for the next school year to start. because it was all he could ever do, wait for it, and once autumn is there, wait for another summer to start. the only thing he would ever enjoy was the unexpected rainy days that leave you to stay all day in.

most of his days, he would spend them laying in bed or playing video games. sometimes he would do that outside or in the living room. sometimes he would do none of the above. he didn't even remember going on a holiday once, during summer. all he ever remembered of it was him, his bed, his window wide open, clothes sticking to his body.

other days, he would pass them at his window. he would stare at the spotless sky and watch the sun travel it until it set because he had nothing better to do. his mother suggested he went out in the garden or walked to the public pool with his sister, but the past few days had been so hot kenma couldn't even bring himself to move without sweating. summer was all over the place. it had been particularly hot earlier during the year. even in mid-april, when kenma should have been able to wear a sweater without feeling hot, he found himself wearing shirts and sometimes shorts more than half of the days. now that it was summer, the temperatures were even hotter, even more stiffening, more than the two last years so, it was hard to bear.

soon after he heard the car park, he was able to hear the sound of a door opening, quickly followed up by footsteps and the voices of two men. one seemed younger than the other. probably the father and his son. usually, kenma would have ignored it. he didn't care the slightest about the life of his neighbors but since he had nothing better to do but lay on his bed and stare into space, he stood up on both his feet and sneaked closer to his window to take a peek outside.

from where he was he had a clear view of the house next doors, his window was right in front of the sidewall of the building and he also faced a window, similar to his own. the houses of the neighborhood had all been built around the same time so, they looked all pretty much the same. each faced the road and had a small garden. some of them had a little bit of land behind and everything was surrounded by miles of fields and trees.

because his window was facing west and it was the middle of the afternoon, kenma had to raise his hand and use it as an eyeshade otherwise he wouldn't see anything but the light of the dazzling ball of fire. what he gazed upon shortly after adjusting his sight was a man entering the house while the other opened the trunk of the car and got out some bags and suitcases of it. he seemed to be around kenma's age, maybe older of a year or two, and even with the distance, he looked pretty tall. it was the first time kenma had a neighbor of his age. different people had lived in the house next doors, kenma had always been used to seeing people move in and out of the house but never in his seventeen years of living he had seen someone around his age. but only young couples or, on the contrary, elderly ones had been seen to live there.

the young man with the raven-black hair near the car suddenly turned around, as if he had felt kenma's gaze from where he was, and instead of ignoring him when their eyes met, he waved his hand to greet him in a smile kenma could sense from here. as kenma didn't have time to leave the window before being caught, he timidly waved back, after freezing because of the surprise.


	2. Chapter 2

then came that july monday morning, where kenma had been woken up earlier than usual, by the sound of the ringing of a bicycle bell. it was a week or two after the new neighbors moved in and it was besides, the day they were supposed to have dinner at kenma's house. as usual, his mother had welcomed them and offered them to pass by, to know everyone better. when kenma walked to his window to open the curtains he caught a glimpse of red-shirt downstairs, ready to live his house on his bicycle. he had given him the sweet name of red-shirt simply because he didn't know his name and because the few times he had seen him, he had always worn a bright red shirt.

once again, the boy outside turned his head around and before cycling away, he raised his head to wave at kenma he knew for sure was somewhere at his window again. it had become a habit, every time he would see kenma either was it early in the morning or during the evening, he would greet him from afar and every other day, and when they would see each other, kenma was always at his window and red-shirt usually on his bike or board.

as always, kenma's mother had suggested to him to knock at his neighbor's door to spend some time with red-shirt because he didn't know anyone in town and also because of what she said, kenma had guessed right about his age. he was only a year older than him. the youngest had refused by explaining how he wouldn't know what to talk about with the guy and mumbled something about being too hot outside. to what she responded something about the dinner.

that morning was nothing more than another heated day. kenma still couldn't remember how but on that morning, his mother convinced him to go at the pool with kyouka. she was probably the one who insisted since she wasn't old enough to go there alone so, his parents used it as an excuse to get kenma out of his room.

the pool was also something he hated, apart from summer. he had never really been at ease with water and since at the public pool, no one was ever careful of their surroundings, it made of the place a source of anxiety. kenma decided to go anyway because he felt he wouldn't have the chance to retort anything that would make them change their mind. he could just stay at the edge of the pool, not too far so he could still keep an eye on kyouka. after all, he didn't have to swim if he didn't want to.

since the place was not that close, they would have to go by bike. kenma opened the garage as he was asked so he could get the two bicycles out and check whether he needed to blow the tires up or not because the bikes had been laying somewhere in the back of the garage for at least months. he first checked kyouka's bike since she was waiting in front of the garage door and adjusted the seat. she hadn't used it in a while and she had grown up a bit since the last time. once he handed the bike to his sister, kenma checked his own and was taken aback when he noticed how one of the tires was completely deflated. he took the bicycle and place it outside so he would see it better with the sunlight. after a minute he constated how the tire was burst.

"what it is?" kenma had called his father out so he could constate how the bike was completely out of use as well.

"do we have another one?" kenma asked.

"i don't think so. you know, you haven't used these in a while" he answered as he pointed at the bikes. "they're old, at some point it's normal the tire burst"

"i guess i can't go then" he had said jokingly, perfectly knowing it wouldn't work as an excuse.

"dad!" kyouka complained short after.

"you can always ask the neighbors if they can help you. maybe they can lend you a bike, i saw their son riding one"

"can't you do it?"

"come on kenma how old are you?"

the boy sighed and as much as he didn't want to, his feet still walked towards the house next doors. he didn't know what he was supposed to do once he reached the threshold because the door of their garage was also open. he didn't know whether he should knock at the door or pass by the garage to see if anyone was there. he didn't have any time to think that the wooden door in front of him was open and revealed a woman with short hair of the same raven-black as red-shirt's hair. she had gaunt features and was smaller than kenma. she welcomed him with a warm smile.

"oh hi! you must be the boy next doors!" kenma nodded as he was too shy to say anything else. "do you need something?"

"oh uhm i need my bike but one of the tires bursted so, could you lend me one?"for some reason he felt embarrassed asking. he wouldn't even lift his head up.

"sure! tetsurou can lend you his" tetsurou. he quickly figured it was red-shirt's name. didn't think he would quit calling him that so rapidly. maybe he would still do it anyway. "tetsurou!" shortly afterward kenma heard someone hurtling downstairs. from where he was and by the half-opened door, he could catch a glimpse of the guy arriving. he wore a red shirt again. a second after, he was standing right next to his mother and it made kenma feel really small. he wasn't that tall for a guy so he felt totally hovered by the boy. he was at least a feet taller.

"kenma" he said his own name when he figured red-shirt's mom was about to explain his request, in order to avoid the awkward situation it would have engendered if she didn't know his name.

"kenma asked if he could borrow your bike for today"

"sure" he nodded too. then, his hazel narrowed-eyes gazed right into kenma's own. "i'll get it out for you" now that he was closer, the blonde-haired boy could easily notice how his pupils resembled the ones of a cat. he didn't have to wait long until red-shirt went out of the garage, holding the very same bike he used earlier in the morning when he went on his usual ride, first thing kenma saw when he woke up.

"thanks..." kenma was about to call him by his name but it didn't feel right as he hadn't said it himself. the youngest felt he didn't have the right to call him anything other than the little name he had given him until red-shirt presented himself.

"kuroo. just, call me kuroo"

kenma had instantly raised his head at the words, almost slapping himself as he wondered whether he had spoken out loud or not. or if kuroo had been smart enough to figure it out for himself. he took the bike he had been handed and noticed how the tallest had already lowered the seat, as he perfectly knew the boy was smaller than him. he had adjusted it just right. whether it was just by pure luck or more or less guessed, it was just right.

using the same bike kuroo had used every day was as if taking a little bit of himself. it was a small step in his world. world kenma had become a part of when he had waved at him the very first time.

"see you tonight" he had said and it was followed by the eternal hand-wave kenma earned every day. the gesture felt intimate, even if it was a simple hand sign. the latter was at first dumbfounded since he had completely forgotten about the dinner at his house that evening, even if it was the first thing he thought about before going to bed the night prior. that 'see you tonight' could have been intimate too if red-shirt wasn't talking about the dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

kenma and kyouka came back in the afternoon. kenma was the one who insisted on going home because if it were for kyouka, she would have probably spent the rest of the day bathing in the water. during the two hours they were there, kenma had remained next to the edge of the pool to avoid the crowd. he was more comfortable and less anxious alone. he had swum a bit but then he had spent the remaining hour sat on the sort of bleachers around the pool. it was not hot enough to stay half-naked outside of the water, especially if you had just come out of it so, as kenma couldn't put back his clothes unless he took a shower to remove all traces of chlorine, he had wrapped himself around his towel instead.

kyouka seemed to have fun on her own. she had joined a group of teens or her age and from where he stood, kenma could see them playing with a ball, further in the pool. if it weren't for her, kenma could have just accompanied her and then left her alone but he knew his parents would have never let him do that. even if kyouka was fourteen, her parents judged it was too early to leave her alone in places like that, where she was exposed to everyone. at least kenma had gotten out of his room and had inhaled some fresh air while bicycling his way to the place.

when he came back the blonde-haired boy went straight to kuroo's house but it seemed no one was here so, he just left the bike against the garage, pretty sure no one would come and steal it. after heading back home, he took a shower, which probably was his third of the day, because his hair still scented like chlorine. the rest of the day he had spent it in his room again, playing games while kyouka spent all her time on the phone with one of her friends. since her room was across kenma's own he could hear everything, especially because she never closed her door. that afternoon he had to yell at her three or four times more than the usual so she would talk quietly. even with earbuds, he could still overhear her conversation.

then, quickly came the evening and kenma had been called out by his father so he would help set the table all the while waiting for his mom to finish preparing the dinner and for red-shirt's family to arrive. they were supposed to come at around seven so they would have enough time to drink something and talk before eating anything. kenma was used to these little gatherings since his mom often invited the parents of kyouka's friends or simply the neighbors with whom she talked every day. since it was summer and most of the neighbors still hadn't gone on a vacation and she wasn't going to work until the end of august it was for her the occasion to invite someone at home.

they had arrived in time, even a bit earlier than planned because they just had to cross the fence which separated both their houses. the blonde was the one who had to open the door, an order of his parents because they were both busy in the kitchen and his sister was still somewhere upstairs. having chosen kenma for that wasn't the best thing to do since he was certainly going to grow quiet in front of the couple as he didn't really know what to talk about. he told himself he just had to greet them and show them the living room. after that, he could just remain on the couch and hope to not hear a word from red-shirt's mouth. he noticed how kuroo had changed. he had swapped his typical red shirt for a black band tee. most of his hair was slicked back in spikes like in the morning and some locks fell on his forehead. the boy smiled at him and his mother greeted him again.

"kenma was it?" the joyful tone in her voice hinted she was very excited for the dinner. her behavior made him think of his very own mother. kenma nodded again as a response and stepped back from the threshold to leave them enough space to stand in the small corridor. he waited until they all removed their shoes and then led them towards the living room where some glasses had already been placed on the small table in the middle of the room. since the kitchen wasn't in a separate room, akiko, kenma's mother only had to raise her head from what she was working on to welcome them in a grin. kyouka was called and she rushed downstairs five minutes after.

akiko had asked kenma to sit next to kuroo on the edge of the couch, she insisted, saying she would take a chair for herself and her husband to let the boys sit together and learn to know each other. the blonde didn't retort anything as he didn't want to say out loud that he didn't necessarily want to sit next to red-shirt so, he quietly sat down and cringed at how close their bodies were to touch because of how cramped they were since his sister also sat on the couch, and no one had to ask her twice to take all the place she wanted thus, only leaving little space for the two boys. neither kenma nor kuroo said anything. kenma fiddled his hands together as he didn't know what to do with it without seeming awkward.

"what do you want to drink?" akiko burst out of the kitchen with an alcoholic beverage in one hand and two packs of juice in the other. she knew kenma had already drunk alcohol outside their house but she liked to pretend he didn't, therefore prohibiting him to drink anything of the sort at home. kuroo probably already had some too but as he was a guest, he simply asked for a soda and the youngest did the same. she came back rapidly after with two cans of soda and kyouka's juice and went back in the kitchen again to get what kuroo's parents had asked. 

"so, what grade is kenma in?" red-shirt's mom had asked somewhere in the middle of her conversation with kenma's own mom. hearing his name instantly made the blonde-haired boy get out of his daydreaming, he turned his head towards kuroo to search something in his glance that could confirm what he had heard. the latter gently nodded.

"he is going to be a senior in september" akiko had answered right away while gazing at kenma. "and kyouka will be a 9th grader"

"tetsurou is going to be a freshman at university!" his mom responded back all the while eyeing at kenma because she knew for sure she had already told akiko thus, that time she was telling the young man. the way he sensed the square-shaped smile on kuroo's face hinted a lot about how much he was embarrassed at that moment.

the rest of the evening went rather smoothly, except the fact that one hour after having settled down on the couch to drink, they were still at the same place and hadn't started eating. both of red-shirt's and kenma's parents seemed so immersed in their conversation, so much the two of them quickly understood it was going to be hard to lift them from it so soon. kuroo and kenma hadn't exchanged a word of the evening if only the eternal hand-wave had been followed up by a casual 'hello'. so, it startled kenma when the tallest spoke as if he had forgotten how his voice sounded like, though having heard it earlier in the day.

"do you want to go outside?" he had suggested. if the evening had to be that long, then they might as well do something out of it. kenma had taken some time before answering, the time to sort out his thoughts and process that the latter had asked him something.

"okay"

without a word, they both stood off the couch, and the only reaction they ever earned was kyouka who raised an eyebrow at her brother went she felt a weight off the couch, to ask what he was doing. he didn't answer anything and simply pointed at the door. kyouka just nodded to tell she didn't care less and buried her nose into the screen of the phone she had been glaring at for the past hour. once they were outside, kuroo raised his head to glance at the sky, which was still clear since the sun had yet to set at this hour and let out a loud sigh of relief. it seemed he had lingered to leave the stiffening living room to get some fresh hair as much as kenma did. they gazed at each other and kenma held a small laugh inside but let it out as soon as the latter's laughter made its way to his ears.

it wasn't too hot outside but not too cold either, the temperature was just right and hot enough to not feel cool whilst wearing shorts. the blonde could even feel a fresh zephyr brushing his skin, which was way more pleasant than the heat of the afternoon. he felt it roaming through his hair which swiftly felt much lighter. both of them had quit laughing yet they still glanced at each other. to cut out the silence, kuroo suggested something again.

"do you want to go on a ride?"

"but i don't have a bike"

"it's fine, i'll lend you mine" that bike again. the bike that was a part of himself. riding it was snatching that part away and keeping it close. riding that bike felt as much intimate as the eternal hand-wave. it was probably something kuroo did without afterthought yet it still seemed intentional. that hand-wave was a little secret. a little secret they shared and no one had to know about. it wasn't a simple hand sign. kenma could feel all the intentions of the world inside that eternal greeting. lending the bike meant 'take that part of myself'. 

kenma watched kuroo open the garage again and come back with two bikes. he recognized the bike he had borrowed earlier in the day because the seat was still perfectly adjusted for him. whether kuroo had forgotten to raise it for himself, thinking he could do it later when he would go on his usual night ride or he had left it as it was on purpose, it remained somewhere deep inside the blonde's mind. he gladly took the bike and hopped on it as soon as he had it in hands. red-shirt did the exact same thing and already bicycled his way out on the road. kenma quickly joined him and cycled beside the guy, in the middle of the road. they could do it without thinking too much since around this hour, there usually weren't many cars around.

they cycled around the neighborhood and even went a little further. the conversation was no better on wheels than when they sat on the couch, the first few minutes of the ride were filled with silence yet nothing had to be said for them to feel comfortable enough around each other.

"why do you like to ride so much?" kenma had accelerated his pace so he would be about a foot in front of kuroo, to be able to see him clearly when he turned his head to talk. "every time i see you, you're off for a ride"

"don't know" the relevant shrugged his shoulders. he bit on his lower lip to give it a thought before answering again. "i guess it makes me calm. i've always liked to cycle around my neighborhood, even when i lived in the city, but i seem to enjoy it better here. it's better to cycle in the morning or at night when there's no one around. it's just peaceful." kenma just hummed at his answer. "it's something else at night. when the sun is down and i hear nothing but the rotation of my chains, it is when i feel the happiest"

by answering the question, the tallest had delivered a part of himself. maybe it was too soon to say something like that to kenma, since they hadn't ever talked to each other. the bike. the hand sign. the question. they were the simplest things yet held everything and had granted the latter access to kuroo's innermost thoughts. a step further into his world.

"you should ride in the forest. i usually see people go there" it was kuroo's turn to accelerate his pace by pedaling a tad faster. he was almost six feet away from kenma when he turned his head to him and asked about it.

"could you show me one day?"

"sure"


	4. Chapter 4

kenma didn't see kuroo the days that followed that night. from what he heard of his mother, he and his dad had gone back in town to visit both his aunts, since they had left some of their belongings before moving since they didn't have enough place to pack everything. they were supposed to be back in a day or two, maybe three after leaving. which meant whether today or tomorrow. he had heard it again from his mother. during the time being, she had grown a friendship with kuroo's mother. kenma wouldn't be surprised if he witnessed her now in the living room, sipping on a coffee in the late afternoon.

that day again, he had spent it laying in bed and playing games, all whilst listening to the laughter of the children of the neighborhood playing outside, wishing he had been one of them in his childhood. his parents had moved into this town shortly after he was born and at that time, there scarcely were any other couple with a young child living here. the more he grew up though, the more he grew used to seeing more and more children here but since most of them were way younger than him, he never really took the first step to go and see talk to them. on the contrary, kyouka had a lot of her friends in the neighborhood. she merely had to cross the street, and she was already at her best friend's place.

later in the afternoon, he was called out by his mom who stipulated the neighbor across the street, who owned the orchard had asked for help to pluck the ripe peaches off the trees. kenma's dad was the one who usually helped him out but since he had gone to the city-center to go grocery shopping that afternoon, his mom had asked him instead. the middle-aged man had retired from his job a few years ago and now poured heart and soul into his orchard. given that he knew how much kenma loved the sweet fruit, each summer, when his father would help him, he would come back with a basket full of peaches. they were the best peaches the blonde-haired boy had ever eaten. since they were organic, you didn't even have to wait until you washed them to taste them. they were perfectly sweet and not too sugary, everything kenma loved. they smelled exactly as they tasted, sweet and tangy and it was incomparable with the ones you bought at the local supermarket. and its robe. its robe, covered of a thin fuzzy layer. it was softer than any fabric.

he wasn't particularly motivated to go outside by this heat but thinking about his reward gave him the energy he needed. he had headed outside right after hearing his mother's request and walked towards the small rock path on the right-hand side of his house, near the fence which traced the outlines of the house and the small garden behind it. once he reached the end of it, he noticed how the man had already placed the stepladder he owned under one of the trees. he welcomed kenma with a warm smile, happy to see him since he hadn't reared his head outside in a while.

"kenma! i swear you've grown up since the last time you passed by" it was only an impression because kenma hadn't grown an inch taller since last spring. he wished he had though. he would have liked to be a few inches taller. the youngest chuckled at the words and climbed on the ladder right after. the man held it with both hands to make sure it was stable.

kenma delicately detached every fruit that seemed mature enough from a glance, careful not to squish them too hard whilst doing it because he knew how much the fruit was fragile. then he carefully put them in the basket he had been handed and once he was done with the three, he and the man moved the stepladder to another one and they would repeat the same cycle over and over again until they judged they were finally done.

when the blonde-haired boy set a first foot on the ground, he instantly laid down on the grass after having set down the basket next to him because he was already feeling exhausted. his arms were sore since he had kept them up all along to catch the fruits that were on the higher branches. it made the man chuckle. he then thanked him and brought the basket with him, leaving a smaller one with some peaches in it for kenma and his family. since the latter wasn't going to stand up so soon, he told him he could leave whenever he wanted. he just had to make sure to close the fence behind him. the boy thanked the man for the fruits and as soon as he left, he closed his eyelids.

he didn't exactly know how long he had remained like that but he figured he stayed there for at least an hour because he had felt the lukewarm light of the summer sun travel from his face to his neck, then to his chest. from times to times he would feel colder, meaning some clouds had passed in front of the ball of fire. it wasn't as hot as kenma thought and laying under the sun and the peach trees was something he had never done before, but would certainly give a second thought because he had never felt as peaceful in his entire life, except during that one night on kuroo's bicycle.

the only thing that pulled kenma out of his thoughts was the faint mewling of a stray cat. it was the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes because the speckled-coated animal had inched closer to him and stood near his arm, his dilated and narrow green pupils staring right through kenma's hazel eyes. he couldn't figure whether the cat was owned by someone living in the neighborhood since it didn't have any distinctive sign that could confirm it. when the blonde-haired boy raised his hand to caress the head of the cat, the animal fled away as fast as it came.

"you're just like me" he had said to himself because the cat had already crossed the opened fence. it made him realize his mother was probably waiting for him to come back therefore, that's what he did after he made sure to think about closing the fence behind him.

as soon as he got home, he placed the fruit basket on the counter of the kitchen and headed straight to the bathroom to take a shower and hop into clean clothes because he felt gross spending the rest of the day in a sweaty shirt. he had then picked up one of the peaches and took a small bite out of it as he didn't want his teeth to hit the seed if he took a much bigger one, careful not to let down any drop of its juice on the floor because it was lousy enough to get all over. they really were the best peaches he had ever tasted. he probably even loved peaches only because of the taste of these. they were so sweet you'd love them to last a lifetime.

all the while finishing the rest of his fruit, kenma climbed upstairs again and he noticed how he hadn't even closed his window before leaving his room earlier. yet, he quickly chased that thought away as soon as he heard the familiar bell of a bicycle passing by the house next doors he hadn't foretold to hear so soon.


	5. Chapter 5

later the same evening, he had had the confirmation that kuroo was back since he had witnessed him in his room he had a clear sight of since it was just across his own one. kuroo didn't see him, otherwise, he would have earned the forever eternal, slapdash greeting he didn't get that day. he had almost missed it.

maybe he really did miss it.

kuroo must have just gotten out of the shower because he wore his hair down when the blonde had seen him. it was the first time kenma had ever beheld him without his hair styled in spikes, and couldn't help but notice how when he had his hair down, he looked a tad more childish.

kenma had gone to bed early that evening but had jolted up awake in the middle of the night when he heard something thump against the glass of his window. he ignored the sound but it started again soon after. and again. and again. anxious but also angry, the blonde-haired boy stood off his bed and carefully walked towards the window, making sure the wooden floor wouldn't crack under his feet. the first thing he did was to open his curtain and he was more than startled to see no other than kuroo under his window, two bikes in hand, one he recognized again as his own.

he heard something fell between the edge of his window and its seal, thing he figured were small rocks the raven-haired boy had thrown at his window to get his attention. anger boiled in his veins when he thought about how the boy could have easily broken the glass. from afar kenma shook his head and arms in disbelief and opened the window as quietly as possible to avoid waking up his sister who slept in the nearest room, when he remembered it was past eleven and with the darkness, kuroo probably couldn't see the face he made.

"what are you doing?" he whispered and even though he had spoken in the lowest tone possible, he still felt as if everyone around had heard because of how silent it was outside.

"i couldn't sleep"

"you had to wake me up because you couldn't sleep?" the youngest sounded angry. anyone would have been mad.

"sorry" kuroo glared at his feet and scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. if it wasn't pitch black, kenma wouldn't have seen the awkward and abashed smile that had drawn itself on kuroo's face.

"is that all?" he sighed and was about to close the window again when kuroo added.

"wait! do you want to...go on a ride?"

"now?" kuroo nodded. kenma was about to refuse but something told him not to, so he turned his head around to think and asked the raven-haired boy to wait. he left the window ajar and silently gathered the edge of his bed, traced the outlines with his fingers and continued until he reached his wardrobe. still in the dark, he opened the furniture and felt the clothes inside until he found a sweater he hopped in just after. because kenma couldn't possibly go downstairs and open the front door without making any noise, he headed back to the window. he had never jumped from it but since the ceiling of the first floor wasn't that high, he figured he could easily jump from that height without fearing to get hurt.

"do you need some help?" he saw kuroo creeping closer to the wall but the boy shook his head saying it really wasn't that high. even though he had told him not to, kuroo had gone straight to kenma when he jumped and landed on the ground, just to make sure he was okay. after getting back on his feet, he whipped the dirt out of his bottom, since he had fallen on it after landing because his legs hadn't been strong enough to support his weight.

without a word again, red-shirt handed his bike to kenma, once more, which seat was already adjusted even though kenma had heard its bell ring earlier, implying he had used it. kuroo cycled a bit ahead of him and had turned his head to be sure the smallest was following him. he had begun to feel a little chilly since he was wearing shorts as a pajama. he would warm up by cycling a bit anyway.

he was certain the sun had set not too long ago yet the moon was already up in the sky, shining brighter than every other night because it was full. since the sky was particularly cloudless that night, you could see it clearly. because he was dropped into silence again, the youngest took some time to ponder about the words kuroo had said to him that night a few days prior. the way he had said everything was different at night. it was. different. his neighborhood wasn't a notably loud place but now that the sun had set, you could readily grasp the difference between the day. there was no sound. no sound at all. not even the soft chirping of the birds. not even the cicadas. not even a car or a peal of laughter. nothing.

kenma felt totally exposed and naked in front of the fields of nothingness that surrounded him. it felt like the world had ceased to exist. the smallest noise echoed as the loudest and anything would have been able to arise all his senses and make the hair on his arms and legs stand on end. the sound of the rotation of the bike's chain, he would have probably not even paid attention to during the day, bounced back and forth inside his mind. him. kuroo. the bikes. the chains. the moon. there was nothing else.

the youngest had often heard about how there is no sound in space since there is no air at all. it was different here, yet he still wondered if it felt the same to wander in space, as his very own breath would most certainly be the only thing he could have ever heard in the void. silence wrapped him in a cotton ball and it was exactly why he felt so at ease and soothed. kenma would have given anything to stay snuggled up into that soft bubble and for that night to be endless. he felt so calm he had even been tempted to close his eyes again, almost forgetting he was riding a bike.

the blonde wasn't even mad at kuroo anymore. if by everything he had meant to offer him the silent melody of the meanders of the night then, it was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. or seen. or sensed. after seeing what the latter had meant to show him, he really had no reason to be angry at all anymore. kenma was thankful, grateful even because, without him, he would have never thought of escaping his room to cycle all his responsibilities and thoughts away.

kenma didn't notice how he had almost stopped pedaling because of how deep he was anchored in his thoughts. he reckoned it when he saw kuroo was further ahead than he was when he last glanced at him. he quickly accelerated until he finally reached the boy and cycled at his sides. kuroo didn't even seem to notice how kenma had eased off so, he wasn't puzzled when he noticed him at his sides, as he thought he was just behind him all along.

"don't you feel lonely here?" the youngest asked, curious. he chose that question because that was how people usually felt after moving. therefore he immediately correlated it to kuroo. the town was small and it was difficult to meld with people who had lived all their lives here so, it wasn't uncommon to feel that way.

"not really" he paused again. "i have my bike" he proudly tapped on the handlebars of his bike as he said that. "and now you're here" it didn't hold much meaning. not like the everlasting, unchanging hand-wave.

"i guess"

kenma hadn't paid attention again and suddenly braked because kuroo had stopped in front of him. "why would you stop?" the latter didn't answer, instead he showed him the small bridge above the river in front of them. it was specially made for bikes and pedestrians since there was no way a vehicle larger than a motorcycle could pass. kenma got off of his bike, imitating the tallest. they both walked towards the bridge, holding their bikes by their handlebars and prompted them against the edge of the bridge. kuroo slid down the low wall and sat on the cool cobblestone. the blonde did the same thing and realized that because of his height and the height of the low wall in front of him, he couldn't see anything but the sky and the head of the plants which had grown around the stream. he had never even realized there was one around.

when he had turned his head towards kuroo, he saw how the boy had lifted his head to stare at the millions of stars in the sky and how the small sparkes mirrored in his dark eyes. the sight made him his lips curl up to edges again.

"what do you like doing in your free time?"

"playing games. nothing really, sleep perhaps" kenma tried to elaborate his answer. "i can't do much with this heat. why'd you ask?"

"i just wanted to know" he shrugged his shoulders again. kenma wanted to return the question but since he had grown quiet after that, he figured it would be awkward to blurt out 'and you?' five minutes after the question had been asked. "you should come by someday so we can play games together" the tallest had suggested after silence had seized the space again, and kenma had answered without afterthought with his usual, distanced and indifferent 'sure'.


	6. Chapter 6

for once, kenma had been disappointed when he woke up in the morning to drops of rain endlessly dripping on his window. the gravel path which led to the garden on the side of his house was coated with a dark gray color and some small puddles appeared in between the space empty of rocks. he didn't pinpoint why he was feeling so down though. he hadn't planned anything special, was surely going to stay at home all day and the weather gave him a good reason to stay indoors. but that morning, he had felt saddened about it. maybe it had to do with the fact the rain prevented him from hearing the usual sound of a bicycle passing by his house and from earning kuroo's undying greeting.

clinging to that greeting to see whether his day was going to be a good one or not almost made kenma want to slap himself. it was ridiculous to give so much meaning to a simple gesture, though it held a hell lot of things already. he hated much how a sign had so much power and weight over him. he hadn't even realized how much importance he had relentlessly given to it until he had missed it three or four times, which resulted in him reckoning he wouldn't be able to spend any other day without earning it.

it was a bit like the end of summer, it slowly goes away and lets autumn break into the houses but you only realize it when the sun sets earlier, the air gets colder and the first leaves begin to fall. or when you start to catch feelings for someone. you don't pay attention to it and suddenly, without a warning or a word, it is there and you can't flee from it.

no matter how much he craved to withdraw from it, it always came back and kenma unconsciously found himself waiting for it every morning, as a child would eagerly count every day left before chirstmas. he wanted to forget about it but, seeing kuroo didn't provide much help.

when he came back in his room after lunch, kenma was attracted to his window for the sole reason he wanted to see whether it was still raining as hard as prior in the morning, and also maybe to catch a hold of kuroo if he had had the great idea to go cycle in the rain. the smallest wouldn't even have felt surprised if he witnessed him do it. to his dismay, the alley in front of his neighbor's house was empty. he had expected it so, there was no reason for him to feel disappointed yet he still did.

he remembered how from where he was, he could perfectly peek into kuroo's room if he left his curtains open. out of pure curiosity, he turned his head to glance to the window and was immediately taken aback, when he spotted the guy standing right in front of his window, the same way as kenma did himself. the youngest wondered whether it was a pure coincidence or kuroo had seen him staring outside and thus, had decided to walk up to his window to see if he could greet him.

once their eyes met each other, he saw the tallest smile. kenma just stood there, not daring to do anything. after what it seemed to be minutes of silence and when kenma was about to look away and throw himself on his bed again, he sensed a hint of panic in the latter's eyes, therefore, he decided to stay a bit longer at his window.

kenma watched kuroo make a stop sign with his hand, then grab a piece of paper to write something because they couldn't open their window due to the rain and wouldn't hear each other anyway. the youngest waited, confused, and was startled when red-shirt lifted the piece of paper so he could read it. in the middle of it, in a messy handwriting, you could read'what's your number?'. kenma took some time to figure what he meant by that but as soon as he understood, he turned around and walked to his desk to grab a piece of paper as well to write his phone number. he then headed back to the window and first gazed at kuroo who was still standing in front of the glass, still holding his paper by both his hands. the smallest hoised the thin sheet up and stuck it to his window so the latter could see it.

the blonde-haired boy stared at him in between the drops of water dripping on his window while he had turned his own paper to scribble the number at the back of it. he noticed how kuroo brightly smiled whilst writing. he hadn't had to wait long before the screen of his phone lightened up and displayed a text from an unknown number he figured was kuroo's. kenma didn't even have enough time to type an answer that the name he had chosen for his contact, 'red shirt' was displayed on the screen.

he immediately rushed back to his window only to discover kuroo on the other side, holding his phone and pointing at it. the youngest hadn't expected him to call the slightest. he wasn't used to phone calls since he didn't call anyone apart from his grandparents or anyone in the family when it was his or their birthday. so, it had startled him to see the tallest wanted to call him. perhaps he simply preferred to his friends' voices. friends? were they friends? had kenma the right to call himself like that? he didn't even know. they hadn't even talked a lot in the month before him moving in. they had sure spent some time together though. and they greeted each other every morning. like two neighbors.

kenma hawked before picking up, as he didn't want to stumble on his words. he picked up without even thinking about what he would say next, what they would even talk about. he had realized it when he heard kuroo's voice, which sounded deeper than usual, whether it was because of the phone or simply because he was tired. when he lifted his head he noticed how kuroo was still in front of his window and looked right into kenma's dark eyes.

"hi" he finally greeted back and it was followed by a timid wave of the hand. kenma had been the first to do it that afternoon. a way to say 'i know everything behind its meaning' something kuroo had caught too.

it was a bit awkward to call, when they hadn't even talked to each other that much in person. it was even odder to be a window away from each other and still call. it made kenma feel even more nervous because kuroo could see what he was doing while talking. it would have been okay if they couldn't see each other. but now that he was here, in front of a transparent barrier, kenma felt he hadn't got the right to move. his body didn't even respond, his legs were frozen and didn't seem to even want to go away. he felt more exposed than he had ever been whilst being with the latter, even if they were the farthest they had ever been from each other.

but after seeing the smile on the tallest's face, kenma soon felt at ease and the few minutes of silence left in between kenma's greeting and the time kuroo finally spoke again proved to be the same as the ones during that late bicycle ride when it was them against the rest of the world. they simply remained there, staring at each other between the drops of rain furiously crashing onto the grass and the glass of their windows. again, they were alone against the entire universe.

"you don't have to say anything" red-shirt's voice resonated through the phone. he had probably seen kenma slightly open his mouth in an attempt of saying something. the latter shook his head.

"i usually like rain" it came out of nowhere. hadn't been thought about beforehand. his heart had spoken before him.

"usually?" kuroo hummed to think and leaned against what seemed to be his desk. "i prefer sunny days, otherwise i can't go out" he added then sighed as he raised his head to observe that the sky was filled with darker clouds than before.

"i liked going out on rainy days. there are less people outside. you can smell the wet grass. it's pleasant when you just got out of a hot summer day"

"you're really strange" he heard kuroo giggle, thing which made him smile. "were you ever sick?"

"hmm not that i remember"

"you're something, kenma" it was the first time the blonde-haired boy had heard his name come out of the tallest's mouth. and he liked it. he really loved it. how the name sounded so natural for him to say. because he couldn't believe what he had just heard, the smallest silently mouthed his own name, quietly enough so kuroo wouldn't hear. "i wanted to ask you if you'd like to cycle with me tonight but i don't think we'll be able to" he stared at the clouds again and kenma just hummed as an answer.

"you said you always cycled alone"

"i did" he marked a pause to insist on his words. "before"

"why before?"

"you're here" you. are. here. he had let it out so casually as if no one had ever been at his sides before. as if kenma had always been there. it resonated with his whole being, every time he heard the words.

"i believe i never said i'd cycle with you every day"

"don't you want to though?" the smallest eyed him smirk. it was easy to tell. even kuroo had quickly pierced through the lie. kenma just shrugged his shoulders as he didn't want to say it out loud. it would have made it sound more real, even though it was already. "you still need to show me the way to the forest, you haven't forgotten, right?"

"i haven't forgotten" of course he hadn't, since it was something he had suggested himself.


	7. Chapter 7

kuroo had been born in the city and had, since the very first day counted the end of it. living in a busy environment put so much pressure on his shoulders came a day he couldn't bear it anymore. because of how fastly the world moves, how quickly everyone in the streets walks step after step, how everyone is evolving so fast, he had always felt he had to do his best, otherwise, he would be a step behind everyone. in the city, everyone is in your face, all the time. you don't have time to breathe, you get overtaken when you don't walk fast enough as much in the streets as in real life. he understood rapidly enough how he wouldn't be able to live in the city once adulthood would come, as convenient as it was.

every day, he watched the sun set over the west city, wishing he was watching in a woodland glade, listening to the hooting of owls and the sound of the wind glistening through the leaves of every tree. in the city, he had to be forever greeted by the honks of cars, or the sound of a train passing by, by the bell of a bike sometimes, or steps coming from the ceiling above his head. in the city, there never is anything to look at. it's just plain, plain, high towers of windows, streets, cars and traffic lights.

kuroo preferred quiet places, with enough room for him to move and breathe serenely. a place where he would see trees every day, other than in parks and on the pavement. that's why he had started cycling around. everything had started on a cold winter night, when he came back from a friend's house by bike since it wasn't far from his own. during the short ride, he had been able to do what he had always sought to. fleeing from his thoughts and all the pressure. tasting freedom, even during a mere moment. not thinking about anything. listen to the melody of the world.

since that very day, he had gone out from times to times and cycled the farthest he could from the city. of course, in order to come back home, he would have to cross the busy streets, which are nearly always lightened up, no matter the hour of the day. but, if he could run away from it, even for an hour or so, even for ten minutes, then, kuroo was the happiest. sometimes he would pedal his way away to the rhythm of the music in his ears. sometimes he would seek for the outside noises instead. the most important was that simples moments like that, where he would just cross the city on his bike, the scenery by his sides, under a mesmerizing sunset, were what made him feel alive and feel the most fulfilled.

the city made him feel uneasy. there were people at every corner, dogs on every sidewalk, families in every park and for some reason, kuroo could never relate to any single of those situations. even if he had lived his whole life in the city, he somehow felt like he was never a part of it. his mother had lived her whole life in a small village away from everything and as soon as she met his dad during her studies, she moved to the city and got used to it so rapidly. from times to times she would still mention how she missed her small town though. not as much as before.

he had never felt deeply connected with any of his friends at the time. everyone seemed to want to live their lives so fast and never wasted a second of it. everyone was always so caught up in their own world to properly pay attention to others. since the day of his first encounter with kenma, to when they sneaked out together, kuroo sensed how he had never been so connected with someone before. he didn't know much about the boy and neither did he talk with him yet he deep down he felt closer to him than he had ever been to anyone before. for some reason, he still felt a connection between them and really appreciated the time they spent together, even if again, they didn't talk that much.

he didn't feel uncomfortable staying quiet around kenma. it didn't mean they had nothing to say to each other. after all, you don't have to say words to tell something to someone. meaning can be expressed in a simple gesture, a gaze, a smile, in everything. that is how kuroo knew for sure he knew more about kenma than he knew each of his friends back then. he hoped the boy felt the same way.

after meeting the smallest, he had wanted, right away, to know so much more about him. why he spent so much time in front of his window. why he had dyed his hair. why he hated summer. kuroo was curious and wanted to show the boy his own world before he even let him take a step in his. he had had a feeling, as soon as he had moved to the town, that this summer was going to be far more different and restless than any other one. that his whole life would probably change as well. he didn't know the town very well yet he also felt more comfortable than he had ever been whilst living in the city, he just sensed that he was where he was meant to be and that, that place was nowhere else but here.

on the other side, kenma despised spending summer here. as his room was already a place of anxiety and stress when he had school, it wasn't the best idea to spend all of his two months of summer break in that very same room. he despised everything about spending summer here because he had lived his whole life here and because he didn't talk with any of the children of the neighbors before kuroo, living here by himself, when he knew the town by heart, the little paths that led to the forest, every way out of the town, when he could recognize every single house, it was stiffening to spend his time there. he did move. sometimes.

he could have gotten out on his own but the idea of never having as much free time ever again in the year always quickly came back and then, kenma was to be found in his room again. seeing the new neighbors move in could have sprinkled something new in kenma's life yet, he knew would need something new again once he would get used to seeing them pass by every morning, or watching them from his window.

but then, there was kuroo.


	8. Chapter 8

"kenma!" the voice of his mother came from downstairs. the latter had heard it clearly because he had left his door open and it directly led to the stairs. his mother had told him so many times to leave his door open so he would be able to hear because he used to close it every time. and every time it only resulted in his mom shouting his name several times before he answered and it usually made her upset.

"coming..." he loosely and quietly answered yet it was loud enough for his mother to hear. he stood up from the bed he was laying on and shuffled towards the stairs. he crouched on one of the steps and leaned his head forward to peek at his mother in the living room. "what is it?" he tried his best to ask politely because he was too tired to do anything at the moment.

"come here" she turned her head to the voice and patted the seat next to her. kenma joined her in the room but didn't sit for that all, he just stood right next to her. "since your dad is at work, could you buy some groceries for me?" she asked and handed him a small piece of paper with a list of dishes. she had written the words so tiny that kenma wouldn't have been able to read them if he didn't already know her handwriting. he blinked twice before taking the paper and nod.

"did dad fix my bike?" the shop wasn't so close yet too close to go by car, the most convenient way, therefore, was either by foot or by bike. except that kenma didn't have a bike for the moment and though he wasn't that tall, kyouka was way smaller than him so it was impossible to use her bike. 

"i asked him to but he probably forgot. oh well, you could do it yourself" she snuggled a little more in the couch and turned on the tv. "you can always ask tetsurou for his"

"he's not home" his mom raised an eyebrow at him, surprised that they had grown close. well, she was rather surprised that kenma talked to the boy. "don't even think about it" she smiled as she understood that kenma had figured her out. "i just saw him leaving earlier with his dad. and i also can't ask for him to lend me his bike every time, by then i will own it. i'll just go by foot, it's not that far anyway" he concluded.

"okay, be careful"

"no one lives here anyway"

when kenma opened the front door and slipped outside, he was startled at how chilly it was. it wasn't that cold for summer but as the boy only wore a shirt and shorts, he had still felt some shivers running down his spine because of the light breeze. he never checked the weather thus, he always jumped in the same clothes every morning, no matter how high the temperature was outside. he just worked on the basis that it was hot in summer, therefore, he never wore anything else than a tee and shorts.

some puddles remained on the grass of the front yard or in the spaces between the pebbles of the little path that led to the grid. it had stopped raining in the morning and it had been raining for the past three or four days so, as soon as he set a foot outside, his nostrils were overwhelmed by the scent of humidity and the perfume of the wet grass. kenma hoped it wouldn't start to rain again since he didn't think of bringing an umbrella with him. he could have just turned around and searched for one in the house but he decided not to.

it took him about half an hour to get to the grocery store and it could have taken him less time if only he remembered the way correctly. since he hadn't been to the shop in so long, he even began to forget how to even get there. kenma didn't really get out of his house unless his parents asked him so or if he had to go to school. because he couldn't admit that he had forgotten the path, after following it for so many times, as much by car as by foot or bike, he just put it on the fact that anyone could have been easily confused because of how every street resembled every other so much.

the store was surprisingly empty, the only people kenma encountered while crossing the different aisles were a young couple, a group of three or four ten-year-old kids and an elderly woman. it made the boy feel at ease, as he didn't feel comfortable in crowded places. here, he had enough room to move and breathe without having to meet with anyone. after a while, he began to think that it wasn't that bad that his mother had asked him to go. it made him go outside and breathe something other than the air in his room, in which he spent all of his days, cloistered like a monk in his chapel. it was agreeable to enjoy the scenery and it changed from what he saw every day from his window, in other words, kuroo's house, kuroo's garden, kuroo's room and -- kuroo himself.

it could have also taken kenma a lot less of time to go home if he hadn't passed twenty minutes searching for a dish on the list that was apparently not even sold in the store. once he figured he would never find what his mother had asked for, he went to the checkout and paid for what he had placed in the metallic basket earlier, with the bill his mother had also given him and shoved the remaining coins in one of the front pockets or his shorts.

he was about to head his way home before he heard someone hailing his name. he knew the voice for sure but only recognized it when he peered the matching face on the other side of the pavement. kuroo was standing in front of a store across the street, two bikes in hands, meaning he was probably waiting for his father to come out. he waved at kenma in a smile, though he had greeted him in the morning and without thinking twice, the latter crossed the street to join him.

"hey" kenma had spoken first. "what are you doing here?"

"my father wanted me to accompany him to the library" he answered and pointed at the shop behind him. the door was wide open so you could smell the heady scent of old books and yellowed paper. "you?"

"i bought some groceries for my mom" the blonde-haired boy raised the plastic bag he held in his left hand to emphasize his words.

"on foot?" he asked again as if it hadn't been obvious enough.

"i forgot to change my tire" the smallest shrugged his shoulders.

before any of them could add anything else, they were interrupted by kuroo's father who burst out of the store with several books in a bag. "oh! hi kenma"

"hi sir"

"do you need a ride home?" the man asked as soon as he saw kenma standing on both his feet. "you can climb on tetsurou's bike" he suggested and turned his head towards his son to ask approval. kuroo just nodded but kenma shook his head at the sentence, happy to see that his dad was concerned for him but also a little bit embarrassed. he shook off the proposition, explaining it was okay and that he enjoyed walking home. he immediately flushed at the idea, as he couldn't help but picture himself on the same bike as kuroo, facing his back while he bicycled and holding closer on the pannier rack every time the wheels hit the smallest rock. it would have been fine if it had been any other girl or boy but here, it was all about kuroo.

"it's okay i don't you climbing on it"

"no, really it's fine" the youngest insisted as much.

"then i'll walk with you" kuroo smiled and got off the bike he had hardly gotten onto. "you can go ahead, dad" it was even more awkward for kenma to hear the tallest say that, rather than hearing him ask him to climb on his bike. he quickly felt his cheek flush of embarrassment. he could have stood it if only the tallest's dad wasn't here, now he just wanted to burry himself for bothering them but instead, he grew unbelievably quiet. "let's go" kuroo flashed another warm smile at him and began to walk as he held his bike on his side with both his hands.


	9. Chapter 9

before he had passed the fence leading to his house, kenma had heard kuroo asking him whether he would like to come by after he had placed his purchases in the fridge. the youngest had accepted right away, though he didn't know what they were going to do. still, he couldn't help but feel excited deep down, because he had never seen kuroo's room other than the snippets he could peer at from his window.

so now, there he was, sitting on the edge of the raven-haired boy's bed, alone in the room while he waited for kuroo to come back with some drinks. the latter just had to go downstairs and open the fridge, therefore, it would take him less than two minutes to come back. yet for some reason, that lapse of time had seemed way longer to kenma. every second had seemed like an eternity but he didn't mind. it gave him enough time to thoroughly observe the tallest's room. it was exactly as he pictured it. very simple and refined. it held for only furniture a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe but it was bigger than kenma's own room. a small tv set leaned against the wall in front of the bed. exactly because there nearly wasn't any furniture, the room came off as larger than it was.

since the window faced the east, kuroo was able to catch some morning sun rays, when they weren't outshone by kenma's house. it was funny to think about it because for kenma it was the polar opposite. his window faced the west, thus he was able to enjoy sunsets every evening. kenma and kuroo were also as different as day and night. while kenma loved to ponder about the most staggering and astounding ideas all the while staying in his room on his bed, kuroo loved to go out and explore every inch of the earth on his bike.

given that it was already mid-afternoon when both of them had come back from the grocery store, the sun had turned and was now closer to the west than to the south hence why it was a tad dark in kuroo's room even if he had another window which had a view on the road. it was bright enough to see, so there was no need to turn the light on, but you could still feel the darkness. when kenma glanced at the wall in front of him, he perceived several pictures, most of them were sceneries but some others were ones of kuroo and the friends he had back in the city. he assumed they probably still talked to each other because of how close they seemed in the small photos. the tallest didn't like texting so in fact, he didn't keep contact with most of them yet happened to call one or two of their group.

next to the photos laid two skateboards, their wheels had been removed and the boards hung on the wall and were used as shelves. on top of them laid various cds or other objects. the walls were painted in a pale gray color, which was probably the work of the previous owner of the house. because of the subdued lighting, it was difficult to tell it was gray, but the ceiling remained white as a pearl so it created a contrast between the two shades.

kenma was quickly pulled out of his thoughts when he heard the door closing itself behind kuroo who had just come back from downstairs. he held the glass of juice kenma had asked in one hand and in the other a can of beer for himself.

"don't tell my parents, they're going to kill me" he laughed when he saw the youngest eyeing at the beer with round eyes and then threw himself on the bed and leaned his back against the wall behind him. kenma timidly took his glass and stayed at the edge of the bed without saying a word. it was the first time in a while he had been in a room other than his own. it was odd to be in a place he saw every day yet was so unfamiliar with. everything, even the air he inhaled and exhaled was unknown to him. kuroo, kuroo, kuroo everywhere. kuroo's bed. kuroo's clothes. kuroo's scent.

he took a sip of his juice and then carefully placed it on the nightstand near the bed. after doing that, he sat at the exact same place again. he knew he hadn't moved from an inch since the covers above the bed had been widespread with the shape of his bottom because of how long he had sat without fidgeting.

"you don't need to be so stiff, just, just make yourself at home" kuroo had leaned forward to place a gentle hand on kenma's left shoulder. it visibly wasn't a great idea because the latter only stiffened a little more at the contact. he had muttered a muffled 'sorry' before turning his head back at the tallest and awkwardly smile. "what do you want to do?" kuroo asked and placed his beer on the nightstand as well. "we can watch a movie or play some games. i have my PS4 in my room" he had gotten off the bed while saying that, waiting for a response.

"games are fine" he hoped it would distract his mind and help him relax a bit. watching a movie could have made the situation even more awkward because kenma sensed he wouldn't be able to focus on the story. "okay!" the tallest answered with a tone filled with excitement. he was the one who chose the game and it was one kenma had never heard of. it was an old multiplayer fantastic RPG game the oldest really enjoyed.

"left! on your left!" kenma was surprisingly very much into the game and had even forgotten that he was in kuroo's house. he was way more comfortable than earlier and it showed by the way he shouted at kuroo to move because he was near getting killed.

"shit"

"i warned you" the youngest shook his head and ran past kuroo's dead character before killing two or three enemies with a new magic spell. "they were right there behind the wall"

"ugh i'm done with this game" kuroo sighed and crossed both his arms behind his head before laying down on the carpet. he smiled at how he managed to make kenma relax, without letting him out of his sight. he had never noticed how much smaller kenma was, he had a really slim and slender silhouette and no matter what clothes he wore, they were always too big on him. the smallest looked so focused on the game kuroo understood how it was going to be hard to get his eyes off the screen. because of that he closed his eyelids. "wake me up when you're finished" he had said and kenma had nodded yet he was sure he had wasted his breath over it as the blonde-haired boy surely didn't listen and just nodded because he heard it but didn't completely process.

an hour or more must have been gone before kenma realized kuroo wasn't playing anymore. he had been so focused on the game that he had forgotten his surroundings. the tallest laid only a few inches from his very own body. he had moved from his initial position and was now on his side, an arm under his cheek to be more comfortable and avoid laying right onto the coarse rug. his eyes were still closed and his chest moved steadily to the rhythm of his breath. as soon as he realized, the blonde-haired boy turned the tv off and as he didn't know what to do and was too nervous to try to awake the latter up, he laid down next to him, in the same position so he would be able to look at him. he wasn't sure why he did it but he was aware of how it made him insanely smile.

some locks of his hair gently fell in front of tetsurou's eyes. his hair seemed dry because of the amount of gel he used every morning but for some reason, kenma still wanted to feel it between his fingers. he chose not to as he was too afraid to wake him up. instead, he remained there, on the rug, staring at the raven-black haired boy for what seemed to be endless minutes.

he tried his best not to make any noise which would wake up kuroo and after a while, he finally find peace and calm again. he slowly closed his eyes yet flashed them open as soon as he heard the door of the room open itself. he had been so taken aback that he had attempted to get up but his head hit the bottom of the bed instead and a sharp pain shot through his head. he ignored the pain and quickly sat up before anyone could see him in this position.

"tetsurou could you lend me..." kuroo's mother was standing in the hallway, she didn't finish her sentence when she saw how her son was asleep on the floor. the youngest didn't know what to say so he flashed an awkward smile to her to which she shook her head. "don't be scared to wake him up" she smiled and went downstairs without saying a word. kenma put a hand on his chest, near his heart because of how fast it was beating, if he were less rational he would believe it to be loud enough for the tallest to hear it. he was too shaken by the sudden arrival of red-shirt's mom to notice how the latter had inched closer to him. his face was now nearly touching kenma's tighs and the simple sight of how peaceful he looked made his heart skip a beat again.


	10. Chapter 10

"hey, look outside" was the text kenma had woken up to. he had taken some time to proceed who even send it, even if it clearly couldn't have been anyone else but kuroo, since the smallest didn't contact anyone but him. it was as if he had known kuroo would text him because when he looked at his phone, he noticed how the message was from only five minutes ago. kenma didn't have enough time to think properly before another text followed. "in your garden."

the blonde-haired boy rubbed his eyes and lazily walked towards the bathroom because it was the only room upstairs, with kyouka's room, which had a view on the backyard. on his way to the window, he walked by the only mirror of the room and caught a glimpse of what he looked like. he didn't appreciate the sight, his hair was greasy, though he washed them the day prior and his eyes were small and tired. the window in the bathroom was higher than the one in his room so kenma had to stand on his tiptoes to properly see outside. he opened it but he had forgotten about the contrast between the darkness of his room and the brightness of the sky outside so, he took some time to adjust before finally peering outside. he still had to use his hand as an eyeshade though.

kuroo's text had confused him a bit, especially the last part because how the hell could kuroo be in his garden and what would he even be doing there? kenma brushed it off quickly and roamed over his backyard and it wasn't long before he caught a snippet of a bright shirt. he lifted his head and gazed towards the orchard just behind the garden, only to see the tall dark-haired male waving at him energetically. kenma was certain the latter would have shouted if only he didn't press a finger on his lips to stop him. he wasn't sure whether kyouka was up or not since she usually got up later than everyone, though it was already around eleven. so, instead, he watched tetsurou rummage through his pockets in search of his phone. quickly enough, kenma heard his phone vibrate against the sink he had put it down on. he shifted and left the skylight to grab his phone and read the text the tallest had just sent him.

red shirt  
might need some help

kenma  
no

red shirt  
aw come on my arms are already sore

kenma  
it's too hot outside 

red shirt  
you know it's not  
please ☹️

kenma  
okay whatever

kenma put his phone aside again because he did not want to see the line of emojis kuroo had probably responded with. instead, he headed towards his room to slip on a tee and a pair of shorts as he wasn't a big fan of morning showers. even if he was, it would have been useless since he was certainly going to take one once he'd come home. he went downstairs and figured his parents were out since he was welcomed with silence. it meant he wouldn't have to notify his absence. he poured himself a glass of juice he rapidly drank and that was it. he'd probably eat one or two peaches once they were done so it was pointless to eat anything now, moreover, he usually didn't eat much for breakfast, but he didn't like to go anywhere on an empty stomach still. hence the drink.

he walked out of his house quickly, maybe a little too quickly for it to be normal. he wasn't a morning person but was oddly excited to be able to spend some time with kuroo so early, even if it was to help his neighbor with the peaches again. kenma had spent all last summers clustered in his room when he and his family didn't go on vacation but now that kuroo was here, it would be a lie to say he didn't look forward to the next day and hoped summer would last a little longer this year. the end of summer would mean the beginning of a new school year, which was always followed by stress and anxiety. he would have less time to spend with kuroo, especially be since he was about to go to college. it did sadden kenma a bit, though he didn't consider them to be close. he was almost certain they were friends but still put a question mark on the word, as he didn't quite know what kuroo thought. 

little did kozume know, kuroo usually didn't accord much attention to things like this. for him, kenma had become his friend on the first night they went on a ride together, just after the dinner. he had entrusted him with things on the first night he had never contemplated telling his city friends, even after years of friendship, so it was hard to not consider him as a friend. if he knew how much the smallest pondered on the question, he would gladly remind him every morning that yes, they were friends. he would certainly not reach out first and hang out with him every so often if he didn't think of kenma as a friend. he wouldn't greet him every morning and wouldn't invite him to bicycle around, especially considering that cycling counted as his alone time. back when he started, he never invited anyone, not that he never thought about it. so yes, if he knew, he would gladly tell kenma how special he is in his eyes. 

the smallest unconsciously skittered his way to the orchard. when he reached his destination, he was left alone with kuroo, his neighbor thanked them both and excused himself. he reckoned two persons would be enough and he had been working since early in the morning, so he deserved a break. kenma was used to it, sometimes he would find himself alone between the peach trees and it didn't bother him at all, as much as he was comfortable with the presence of the old man. kuroo instantly smiled when he saw him arriving and it made kozume wonder whether he also smiled while waving at him before he got out of the house, or when he sent the texts. kenma could perfectly picture him grinning while proudly typing his unexpected message, in fact, he was certain he did. 

kuroo's hair was down, it looked soft as if it had just been washed. he probably figured it was meaningless to style it since he would have to take another shower after he was finished with the peaches. he looked decent nonetheless, that's what kenma thought. even with pearls of sweat on his forehead, he looked more than handsome. he had never give it a thought but from anyone's point of view, really, kuroo was attractive. kenma's gaze never laid long enough upon him to notice, which was odd because he was usually self-conscious and cautious around people so, he observed their moves in hope to find out their thoughts but for the latter, he never felt the need to. had tetsurou always been attractive? did people usually notice it at first sight?

"hey" the oldest jumped from the ladder and headed towards kenma before catching him with a mellow voice, to which kenma responded calmly. "did you sleep well"

kenma hummed as an answer. "and you? what are you doing here?" he cringed at the obvious and felt embarrassed asking when he realized. kuroo didn't seem to find it weird. 

"max saw me when i came back home after a ride. he was going to ask you for help per usual but it was still early so i offered him a hand instead" he explained and leaned on the ladder behind him. "we did a pretty good job already" he pointed at the two baskets full of fruits at his feet. "and yes. i did sleep well. i had a pleasant dream actually, weird but pleasant"

"really? what happened?" the blonde-haired male stared at him with round eyes. he tried to sound not too curious but his tone might have given it away regardless. 

kuroo raised his eyes to think. "i don't remember in details but i just know i felt so peaceful when i woke up" he didn't say anything after that but quickly then quickly added. "well we got some work to do" he stepped away from the ladder and opened his arms to show the way to kenma and incite him to climb on the object. "i'll hold you tight" he half-whispered when the smallest set a foot on the first step, kenma must have looked flustered because kuroo laughed. "the ladder i mean. i'll hold the ladder"

"thank you, i guess"

it was unfair how kuroo could grab some of the fruits without having to climb on the ladder. some branches were so low he could easily stretch his arm and take them when kenma had to climb on the set of steps. of course, he could reach some without it but some of the trees were tall so he still had to use the object. he could feel how firmly the tallest held it because no matter what he did, it didn't move an inch, didn't pitch. it was useless given that kenma was pretty light-weighted and the ladder was stable by itself but being cautious never killed anyone. kuroo's arms brushed against kenma's bare legs from times to times by accident. kenma shivered every time it happened but tetsurou remained unbothered. he flashed a smile every time the latter turned his head towards him. he caught his eyes every time, which was embarrassing, it made kenma feel uneasy, but not in a negative way.

once they were done with the tree, they carried the ladder in front of another one and so on, until they both reckoned they were done. they put the baskets away from the sun and both laid on the grass, the way kenma liked to do when he was alone. he quickly sat straight when he heard a meowing near them. when he glanced around, he finally caught the sight of a familiar speckled-coated cat. it stayed afar and watched kuroo and kenma with dilated pupils. the smallest thought it was going to flee but instead, the cat crouched closer to kuroo and rubbed its head against his leg. 

"she seems to like you" kozume was surprised. the first time he saw the cat, it went away to the only sight of him. she seemed comfortable around kuroo, as if she had known him forever. kenma felt the same way, he felt oddly comfortable with the oldest, though they met recently. he couldn't pinpoint what it was but, from the beginning, he had felt an odd but reassuring warmth emanating from kuroo, which put him at ease quite rapidly. he was easy to be around with. if one or the other didn't speak it never felt awkward. it was easy. 

"why are you so surprised?" kuroo gently caressed the head of the cat with his slender fingers. 

"she ran away the first time"

"she must like me better" he smiled again but didn't look at the smallest. "she's just like you" the remark went right through kenma's heart because he remembered thinking the same thing the first time. kuroo had read his mind without effort. 

"what do you mean?" he still asked. 

"you're only comfortable around few people" he pointed out, his narrow-cat eyes gazed right into the blonde-haired male's own. kenma was afraid he might figure out everything else just by staring at him. 

"why isn't she comfortable around me?" the smallest detached himself from kuroo's glance.

"don't know" he continued patting the cat, it even started to purr. "maybe you're just afraid and she felt it" kenma shifted to lay down again, the cat was startled by the noise and ran away. "she is like you" he then felt the need to add "i don't mean it in a mean way" 

"i know"

kuroo laid down again as well, he first placed both his hands under his head but quickly placed them along his body. the smallest didn't notice how close they were until he slightly moved his own arms and touched tetsurou's right one. it was during these moments he realized how comfortable he actually felt around the young man. usually, he would be self-aware and would feel when anyone impinged upon his personal space, but when it came to the tall, raven-black haired male, he barely even noticed. he brought his hand near his own body nonetheless. instead, he closed his eyes and inhaled. he felt the warmth of the sun on his eyelids so, he was tempted to roll on his side to avoid it, but before he did, a cloud passed in front of it, so kenma decided to stay still. 

after a while, he moved his arms again, without opening his eyes for that all, so he hadn't any sense of where his arm might be and didn't have the slight idea of where kuroo was. his arm brushed against the latter's own again but this time, kuroo grabbed kenma's wrist before he could do anything and smoothly intertwined their fingers together. the oldest's hands were bigger and hot, kenma's were clammy and small yet kuroo tightened his grip a little bit more. 

kozume didn't know how to react, first, he froze, then his heart hammered like crazy and finally, he felt heat coming up to his cheeks. he was too afraid to open his eyes or do anything, so he remained still and tense. kuroo must have sensed it because he loosened his grip and gently rubbed small circles with his thumb on the smallest's skin. their hands definitively did not perfectly fit together yet they completed each other, even if tetsurou's hands were large, they didn't hover kenma's for that all. they just fitted together. easily. just so easily. 

kozume tried to relax a bit and finally decided to open his eyes. kuroo opened them at the exact same moment and he felt how he turned his head towards him. kenma was unsure of how he managed to find the strength and the courage to do so but, he also slightly turned his head towards the tallest. his cheeks were probably still flushing red, his eyes must have screamed confusion and panic, his stomach twisted in happiness but he still did. and kuroo stared at him with the brightest smile he had ever seen on his lips.

"i like it" he tugged a bit on their hands. " i really like it"


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i did NOT plan hinata's appearance on a whim. i did not
> 
> also i might take a while to update because i don't have any chapter in advance left and i'm starting uni on the 21rst :(( give me motivation please

kenma had never wanted to go out of his house so badly before. his mom had invited his aunt to stay during the weekend and of course, she had brought her two children, shouyou and natsu with her. natsu was not even ten yet and shouyou was twelve, a bit younger than kyouka. kenma was used to kyouka being loud, but when shouyou was here, it was a hundred times worse. the small boy was a tornado. he jumped and shouted everywhere he went and never stopped talking, the perfect opposite of kenma. usually, it was difficult for him to bear energetic people but he couldn't say much, since shouyou was his cousin.

he had never wished so badly to receive a text from anyone before -- preferably kuroo -- anything, that could help him get out of the situation he was in. he could have asked the oldest to hang out or help him watch over shouyou, even if wasn't the most interesting thing to do, but unfortunately, the latter had sent him a text earlier saying that he was going to spend some days in the city to hang out with some friends. kenma had seen him leave from the window of the living room, in the middle of their lunch. oh how much he wished he could just go outside and take his bike. anything to leave the noise.

he was currently in the garden, sat leg-crossed on the grass as he watched shouyou running after his sister. they were old enough to watch over themselves but akiko insisted for kenma to go outside and inhale some fresh air, so she used shouyou as an excuse. kyouka had been kicked out of the house too and was comfortably laying on one of the garden plastic chairs, her phone in hands. kenma was on his phone too, he started a new game but for some reason, didn't seem to focus.

his mind was elsewhere, he kept thinking about kuroo, and the last time they hung out together, how close they were and how their proximity didn't bother him the slightest. he had enjoyed holding hands with him, for the record, he never held hands with anyone but his mother or perhaps with a girl when he was in primary school. which implied a lot. he had never thought of being physical with kuroo, it had never been something he was into, but it seemed to be important for the oldest. since it didn't bother him a lot, he just let it pass. he wondered whether kuroo was like this too, with his friends from the city, if he had always been like that and it was simply by habit. he liked it. he liked it a lot even. the hand holding. worse even, he thought of it happening again. and the picture itself was enough to make his heart race and create a knot within his stomach.

it had happened once, after the first time under the peach trees of the orchard. they had gone on another one of their secret night rides, thing kuroo hadn't proposed in a while and they cycled their way to an empty park and just laid there to stargaze. kenma had been cautious but he wondered every time how his parents didn't notice his absence, their bedroom was downstairs but it didn't mean they couldn't hear anything. or maybe they were aware he sneaked out once or twice but never brought the topic up, like the alchohol. again, they had laid down in the grass and the moment kenma settled, kuroo had instinctively fiddled their fingers together. kenma didn't react as badly as the first time, but he was still startled so, he couldn't stop internally panicking. kuroo had remained confident, unbothered like it was natural for him.

his mind wandered again before he finally focused on his game. yet he was interrupted once again by shouyou's voice. apparently natsu had stolen him something, but it was the least of kenma's problems. he turned his head towards his sister to expect a reaction, but he remained still and calm, focused on the screen of her phone. she raised her head because he probably felt kozume's stare on her, to which she responded by a rude "what?" the tallest didn't bother answer.

he probably disconnected again because he didn't even realize his phone was ringing until kyouka called out his name for the third time, at least. kenma threw his head back to his phone and nearly let the device fall when he saw the name on the display. he didn't know why he was feeling so nervous and getting so worked up, he put it on the fact that he wasn't used to people calling him, but it might have been more than that. he stood up and walked towards the front of the house, where he wouldn't hear shouyou and natsu's unremitting screams.

"uhm hi?"

"hey" kuroo's voice sounded deeper through the phone. he talked quietly. "i'm on the train. i had nothing to do so i just thought i could call you, did i interrupt something?"

"no, you saved me, actually" he wanted to say the truth but found out it was embarrassing after saying it.

"really?" it seemed to amuse the oldest. "i guess i always know it when it comes to you" kenma didn't know how to answer."sorry, i wanted to warn you earlier but it was pretty late already"

"it's fine"

"i should take you with me one day" he sounded serious, it hinted how he had probably already thought it through and planned everything, every hour, every single minute they would spend together, that is if kenma agreed to come. 

"what?" the smallest had perfectly heard but didn't quite get the meaning.

"to my hometown. you should also meet my friends, i promise they won't bite"

"i don't know..." was the only thing he said, because he couldn't possibly tell kuroo he was too afraid to meet them and that he didn't do well with people in general. that he was usually awkward and never knew what to say and when to say it. he did talk to some people at school, but they were only school friends. 

"i'm sure you'll do good" kenma could almost hear the encouraging smile in his voice. "they're nice. they're too much sometimes but it'll be fine if i'm here"

"hm" he didn't want to contradict him but didn't feel ready to say yes.

"what did i save you from?"

"oh uhm my cousins are here" kenma looked behind him as he talked, he didn't expect the sudden subject change. "they're...too energetic" he then crouched down and sat on the steps of the small staircase which led to the front door. the stairs were cold underneath his thighs but the contact with his skin was agreeable. he noticed how his parents could see him from the patio door of the living room so, he expected his mother to ask him questions about the phone call once he would come back inside. he made a mental note to himself to come up with an excuse before she could ask, so he would exactly know what to say. 

"ah...youth" kuroo exhaled in a long sigh and laughed. his laughter was crushed by the phone so it seemed a bit off. kenma wished he were there to hear it from his own ears and not through some device. 

"youth? kuroo you're literally nineteen, not some sixty-year-old man"

the latter laughed again, this time way harder than the first time. he tried to keep it down still to not disturb the other passengers of the train. "sorry" he let out another laugh and eventually it made kenma scoff too. 

"you're so stupid"

the smallest heard some rattle before kuroo let out. "i think i'm almost there. i'll talk to you later"

"okay"

"don't miss me too much"

"i won't miss you" kenma wasn't sure whether he was in a good mood or because he wasn't directly talking to the tallest, but he felt like saying something bold. "i was doing fine before meeting you"

"who are you?" tetsurou scoffed and acted offended. "bring kenma back" kenma. it was one of the first times he heard him saying his name. usually, it was just the two of them so, kuroo didn't feel the need to use his name and so did kenma. it was...odd, odd but incredibly self-satisfactory. and nice. was the word kenma settled on. he couldn't think of any other one. hearing his own name on the oldest's lips was satisfying, a bit like tasting your favorite ice-cream flavor or the pleasant feeling in your mouth when you eat a perfectly ripe fruit, not too juicy and ideally flavorsome. both sweet and addictive. 

"i will miss you" kuroo said before hanging up, leaving kenma with a lingering fuzzy feeling inside his stomach.


End file.
